Family Photo

Yesterday, we celebrated Paul's parents 60th anniversary. It is a rare milestone that most of us can only hope to achieve. It also is bittersweet, because with 60 years of marriage, comes the onset of old age.

All five of their children were there, which only happens in Paul's family about once every 3 years. It was nice to visit with family that we don't see very often. As I downloaded the pictures to the computer, I was reflecting on how much, yet how little, a family photo can say.

In the faces of the kids, their smiles and expressions say it all. They are having fun, being kids, hanging out with cousins they don't see enough. They are care-free, as they should be.

On the faces of the adults, you see smiles. To the outside world, all is well. Behind the faces are a different story. A closer look will show the oxygen tube that is helping supply dad's lungs with the air they need. A glimpse in the minds and thoughts of the adult children would show their concern for their aging parents and the stress of the impending decisions that need to be made.

'A Picture says a Thousand Words' -normally I find so much truth in this saying. Today, I find irony in it. I see in this family photo the hurts, feelings and concerns that sometimes can be hidden behind a smile.